After a long stretch in Colorado, into the corn and wheat it is

JOH Day 21 Breckenridge, CO – Empire, CO

Once again, Colorado blessed us with a challenging and beautiful ride today. It was our last day of true climbing for quite some time, and one of our last in the Rockies for the trip. It was one of those rides that had everything in it, and showed me how much fun cycling is.

We left Breckenridge towards the east as the sun rose over the horizon. We went down past town, and around the reservoir. Up and down a short climb, and our extremities were starting to finally warm up. Not soon after, we made a wrong turn and ended up on a fun little bike path that rides next to a creek through some ski resort hotels. Once corrected, we set out climbing up Loveland Pass.

At 11,990 feet above sea level, Loveland is the highest freeway in North America, and the highest elevation we would see on the trip. We climbed up through the hairpin turns past a ski resort and eventually above the tree line. By the time we reached the top, barren mountaintops surrounded us with sparse snow cover left over from the winter. While the climb had us panting and sweating, we quickly bundled up at the top, for at 12,000 feet the wind is ever-present and cloud shadows lower the temperature significantly.

The whole North Team made the climb successfully, and Push America’s Build America Team made a surprise greeting at the top. Whereas we devoted our summer to cycling, the BAM guys have devoted theirs to building and improving facilities that serve people with disabilities. With the same mission, they do great work constructing accessible ramps and trails for people with disabilities.

We waited for everyone to reach the pass to take pictures and enjoy the views, and then we were on our way down. The decent was fast and fun. There were some nice hairpins and long straightaways. The last stretch was mostly through a bike trail in the woods. Skinny pines towered above us as we flew down the paths curves and hills at 35mph. I felt like I was living on the edge as we rounded each turn and zoomed over every hill at high speeds. The path was narrow and you could never see for more than 30 yards, but it was exhilarating.

We stayed in Empire at the Rocky Mountain Village Easter Seals Camp. The camp has campers for a week at a time serving the whole spectrum of disabilities. This week they had clients with developmental disabilities ages 14-21.

My teammate Travis Turner (Atlanta, GA; Georgia Tech) and I volunteered for kitchen duty that night. Instead of sleeping or blogging, we spent the afternoon helping prepare the taco dinner. After dinner, instead of partaking in the camp assemblies, we spent a few hours cleaning hundreds of dishes and doing prep work for breakfast. Although I had not anticipated being in the kitchen for 4.5 hours that night, I had a great time preparing salad, and working in the kitchen.

JOH Day 22: Day off in Empire, CO

Today was a very cool off day. We spent the day at the Easter Seals Camp hanging out with the campers, helping the counselors, and giving our legs a rest. One of the themes of the camp for the week was the zombie invasion that was taking over the state. The campers learned on Sunday night that zombies were closing in on the camp, and to be on the lookout. Little did they know, those zombies were disguised as 36 good-looking guys that had just arrived by bike earlier that evening.

We separated into groups for the morning activities with the campers. Three others and myself went fishing in the pond with some of the campers and their counselors. There were plenty of trout in the pond that were ready to be caught and released over and over. We used dog food pellets to feed them, and catching them was as simple as reaching in with a net, or letting a baited hook sit on the water. In total, we all caught 30 trout in the span of a couple hours. With only a couple net catches, I was just happy to spend some time by the water, and see some fish on the lines.

By lunchtime, the zombies were on the camp premises, as the campers were about to find out. As they all enjoyed their chilidogs in the cafeteria, the costume-donning cyclists zombified. With the makeup and costumes having us look like big, goofy and dumb zombies, we moaned our way to the cafeteria. To the sound of screams, we arrived in force. A few campers and counselors came outside to defend the rest. By dancing, they fended us off and kept us at bay. From the counselor’s standpoint, the first wave of the zombie invasion was a success. 

We had the afternoon off, so a few of us climbed the trail on the mountain overlooking the camp. It was a gorgeous view of the camp, but we couldn’t stay long because thunderstorms were quickly approaching. After some time at the pool, and a long and heavy storm, it finally cleared up around dinnertime. After dinner, the zombie defense seminar began.

Chris Stubel and I were the zombies at the sword fighting station. We soon found out that “swordfighting” really just meant that we would be beat up by the campers all night with foam pool noodles fashioned with a handle. We had a blast acting like zombies and taking the beat downs time and time again. Eventually as the campers stopped cycling through we had our own swordfight with our teammates not in costume. Everybody enjoyed the night and our entire stay at the camp. It was obvious why one of the head counselors who visited with BAM a couple years ago decided to come back; the Easter Seals Camp was a very fun and happy place. 

JOH Day 23: Empire, CO – Denver, CO

Today was hyped up to be a difficult and dangerous ride, unlike most rides we had seen so far, and for good reason. The ride into Denver was not an easy one to plan, and we had a strict rack point that was going to require a fast pace. Overall though, the ride went very well, as nobody had any issues, and everybody made it on time.

We left the camp before we could see the sun rise over the mountains. We weaved on back roads around I-70 through the river gorge in the shadows of the steep mountains for much of the morning. About halfway through, as we seemed to be reaching the crest of the mountains, we did a small stretch on the interstate. At 25mph, it was definitely the slowest I had ever gone on an interstate highway. We left it as quickly as we entered, and were quickly at the highlight of the ride: Lookout Mountain.

Lookout is one of the premier cycling locations in the country for riders of all kinds. The USA Pro Cycling Challenge even climbed it a couple years ago. The view from the top was incredible. The Rocky Mountains simply end, and the flat where Denver and its suburbs sit is in full view. It was a very cool way to see the city for the first time. The descent was awesome as well. A couple fast straightaways and many sharp switchbacks make it very dangerous for amateur or not-so-confident riders. I had a blast going down, for even though we took it very slow, the views were unbeatable the entire way down.

After some brief metropolitan riding, we arrived at Sports Authority Field for our lunch. There we met up with the TransAmerica team who, as per tradition, was passing through Denver at the same time as us. It was great to spend some time and catch up with my four chapter brothers Colin Aker, Erik Moeller, Sam Newblom, and Isaac Smith. We were fortunate enough to receive a tour of the stadium where the Broncos play and got to spend some time on the field. The Jumbotron even read “Welcome Journey of Hope”.

We had a big arrival at the state capitol with the Trans team. It was definitely the biggest paceline I have been apart of. We had the afternoon off to rest, run errands, and explore the city. Our hotel was right in the best part of the city, the 16^th Street mall. The tree lined street seemed like the place to be with plenty of restaurants and stores.

To cap off an excellent first day in Denver, we spent the evening at the Rockies – Dodgers game at Coors Field. With both teams in attendance, plus a significant amount of relatives and KRG friends, we had a strong presence in “The Rock Pile” bleachers in the outfield. Aside from the Rockies getting blown out, it was a very relaxing and enjoyable night at the ballpark. After the game, I even got to see my good friend, chapter brother and Pi Alpha (Trans 2011) Branden Sowers. He graduated from Purdue this spring and now works at Red Rocks in Denver. I was happy to spend time with him and catch up. 

JOH Day 24 Day off in Denver

Our second day off in three days was one that nobody could complain about. We are about halfway through the trip, so it felt great to get off the bike for a little while and celebrate and give thanks where needed.

To start the day off, we had an excellent breakfast at the KRG offices in downtown Denver. Located on the top floor of the 22-story Xcel energy building, the whole office is very impressive. Decorated with beautiful artwork and modern design, the space seems to foster success. The views were nothing short of impressive as well. From the conference room where we ate, one could see all of downtown Denver. From another side of the office, you could see the baseball field, football stadium, and basketball arena, all in one glance with the mountains in the backdrop. The Denver skyline against the mountains is gorgeous in and of itself, but to see it from there was truly special.

After the tasty catered food, we learned more about what KRG does as a private equity company, then were free to talk and explore. Bruce Rogers’ office was very cool. Not only did it have a perfect view of where we sat at the baseball game, but it was essentially a Journey of Hope shrine. On the walls, he had memorabilia and photos from JOH dating back to its inception. It was a very humbling experience to spend time with him, nonetheless see all the things he has done with Push America and the Journey of Hope.

Throughout the entire KRG office there was evidence of their involvement in the community. There was a bulletin board in one hallway with thank you letters from soldiers overseas, along with countless pictures of JOH teams and ride-alongs. I was thoroughly impressed after reading through a coffee-table book about all that KRG does to serve the community. It was inspiring, humbling, and reflective all at the same time. I can only hope that later on in life I can be as humbly generous and loving that the people of KRG are.

We had the rest of the day off until Pedal for Pennies in the evening. We all went our separate ways, doing laundry, running errands, napping, and eating. Pedal for Pennies was a one-of-a-kind friendship visit. Both teams participated as many of us were paired with a Special Olympian and rode our bikes around the lake in a Denver park. I rode with a great guy named Rudy, and we took our time making our way around the lake 3 times as people passed us left and right. Slow as we were, I was happy to learn that after many years 3 laps was the most Rudy had ever done.

After the pedaling was over, we all hung out for a BBQ dinner and some words from the leaders. Chad Coltrane, CEO of Push America, had been with us all through Denver, and had some nice words for the group. Once Chad and the others were done, it was down to business.

In our true North Team fashion, we took the reigns and threw down probably the best dance party we have had all summer. Together we danced and sang our hearts out until we were sweating and panting (at least I was). We were loud, proud, and even had everybody getting rowdy on the dance floor. It was a sight to see. We kept it going well past what time we expected to finish, and nobody was upset about it. 

JOH Day 25: Denver, CO – Fort Morgan, CO

As a decent cyclist who loves to climb, it was kind of bittersweet for me to leave Denver. I had such a great time on and off the bike in the Rockies, and today we left for new territory. The Rocky Mountains end abruptly at the city limits of Denver. From downtown, if you go west you will go straight up into the mountains. If you head east, you will enter a vast country of corn, wheat, soybeans, and cattle farms. We left Denver bright and early and rode east.

Behind us the beautiful Denver skyline with the Rocky backdrop faded away in a morning haze over the horizon. We rode pretty much straight East with some Northern movement as well. After some industrial area, we were in the fields. Corn and wheat fields quickly came and went around us as we made our way to Fort Morgan. The roads were not the worst we had ever seen, but they were not the best.

At one point we saw a strange sign that read “Loose gravel ahead. Reduce speed. Avoid windshield damage.” Soon after, we came across the spot that began one of the most miserable cycling roads ever. There were deep piles of gravel every few yards, and the only safe places to ride were where the car tires ride. It looked like a gravel blizzard recently came through and the passing cars had created those tire track seams through it.

Unfortunately, the gravel got the best of me. About a mile or two in, I got what I thought to be a flat. Upon further investigation, I noticed my back tire was as good as shredded. With significant wear and parts with torn rubber, it was bound to go any day. The final breakpoint was a hole I could nearly fit my pinky through. Fortunately I had new tires in one of the vans, so a quick change and pump, and I was back rolling.

That night we had an excellent dinner with the Elks Club of Fort Morgan. Some of the best sloppy joe’s I have came across, as well as good conversation and company made for an excellent Fourth of July dinner. In order to celebrate and be the good patriotic Americans that we are, a bunch of us went to the Bush County fireworks that night. It was fun to just sit back, listen to country music, and watch fireworks like a kid in the American heartland. It was a 4^th of July I won’t soon forget. 

JOH Day 26: Fort Morgan, CO – Wray, CO

If there were any day I could point at to show how much this team has improved, and how awesome we are, it would be today. On our ride we accomplished something that I probably would never think we would do.

We had an early start to the day, as the Elks Club was treating us again, this time with breakfast. After an awesome meal, we set out into the sun. The scenery was pretty much the same as it has been since leaving Denver. At any given moment, if we weren’t passing through a small, one-intersection town, we were riding by corn, wheat, soybeans, factory farms, or open range.

There is a certain peace and beauty to this landscape. It is an iconic American view of endless fields and working people, and everyone you pass is in a truck with a cowboy hat. For this reason, the song “Fly Over States”, by Jason Aldean was running through my head for much of the day. And with immense wheat fields all around us, we were poised to throw some fun at our Project Manager, Nick Brady.

Last year, when he was riding, Nick took the infamous Gladiator picture. It was the end of the movie, walking through the wheat fields, wheat going through the fingers, walking away picture. So, all of us took the exact same picture and publicized it, giving credit where due of course.

Anyways, the big accomplishment of the day was riding 87 miles, and everybody arriving before 12:30pm. That meant that everybody’s pace was close to 20mph for the entire ride. We went so fast that we beat rack point by close to 2 hours, and the roadside lunch was pushed until after we arrived. In arriving so early, we had plenty of free time in the afternoon.

We stayed in the Wray Rehabilitation and Activity Center. Essentially it was the town fitness center, and it just happened to have a small waterpark right behind it, which we took advantage of. Most of us spent the afternoon at the waterpark, resting, or for those adventurous few, doing weight workouts at the gym.

In the evening, we had a delicious dinner provided by the center, with large support from the Boys and Girls Scouts in the area. It was an excellent homemade buffet of casseroles and summer dishes. I swear we are fed like kings, and I have had more summer picnic foods (pasta salad, chicken, cole slaw, cookies) than is normal for most summer-loving Americans. Of course, I am not complaining. We are incredibly blessed and thankful to receive the generosity and support we do from the people we visit.

For the rest of the evening, we hung out with the kids in the scouts and at the WRAC. There was a lot of tag, wrestling, and basketball. One of the highlights was also an always-stellar presentation of “Kids on the Block” by the Puppeteers (as we call ourselves). Overall, it was a long, but very enjoyable last day in Colorado. 

JOH Day 27: Wray, CO – Nebraska – Kansas – McCook, NE 

Today marked one of the few (perhaps only?) three state days we will see on the trip. We set off out of Wray this morning with full stomachs thanks to the Boy Scouts. They prepared an excellent breakfast of pancakes, fruit, and sausage. In order to do my share and make the food disappear, I happily took on four pancakes, fruit, coffee, orange juice, and ten sausages. Luckily that decision did not backfire.

It was only about 10 miles to the state border of Nebraska. It seems like yesterday Brady was telling us “we have a long stretch coming up for the next 10 days in Colorado.” It’s scary how fast this trip is going. Regardless, we were heading into our fifth state with a full head of steam.

Not long after we made a short detour down a side road to hit the Kansas border. Whether to make teammate Blake Neuman, of Kansas City, KS, happy, or just to add another city to our list, we simple set foot in the state, snapped a picture, then turned around to be on our way to McCook.

We set a fast pace again today, clearing both rack points with ease. We cruised through the new state with ease, although slowly decreasing pace as the winds picked up and temperatures climbed to 100^OF.

Nebraska is pretty much the same as Eastern Colorado, except the fields are bigger, flatter, and the roads are either awesome or horrible. It is much as I expected. The rolling hills bring you to crests where you can see corn or wheat until the horizon, and the trains that pass and cross the road are long enough to take a break on the bike and eat a snack.

Shortly after midday, well after we reached the Central Time Zone, we arrived at McCook, NE. It is a bigger town than the ones we have seen the past few days, I think. There is a Walmart, McDonald’s, Arby’s, and a large John Deere outlet. I can tell we are in the plains when the largest machines being shown off roadside at the John Deere store are brand new grain combines, whereas in New Jersey, they show off new 61” lawn mowers.

Bigger as it may be, McCook still has the iconic western town feel to it. The main street is lined with old brick buildings and country stores. The roads off the main street are even brick, which is a pain on the bike, but pretty cool all the same.

We had an excellent dinner provided by the women of the United Methodist church at which we are staying, and have not had much going on this afternoon. Tonight we are spoiled with a night at the movies, courtesy of cyclist Stephen Blythe’s family. We are all excited to see Despicable Me 2 tonight. 

JOH Day 28: McCook, NE – Minden, NE

Another up and down day on the bike, another relaxing, yet uneventful night after the bike. Todays ride was a struggle for me, and for no good reason. After the ride, we did not have any programming besides dinner, so it has been a rather uneventful evening.

Once again, Nebraska was Nebraska. Corn, corn, corn, wheat, and more corn, then more wheat. That was pretty much the extent of our views today. The rolling hills got progressively worse, and the headwinds picked up throughout the day. At around mile 42, I got a flat. No big deal, except that the tube I replaced it with was also flat, so I went through 2 tubes and a CO2 canister for no good reason. That set me on edge. We were cutting it close to rack point, so we really had to hustle to make up for the long time fixing the bike.

I was pretty salty for the rest of the day in the saddle. It was a grayish sky for most of the day, and the winds were relentless. I was amazed how I could go from having a great time to very sour simply over a flat and some winds. Luckily we made it the entire 95 miles, and even had some time to work on bikes or nap before dinner.

For dinner we had an excellent spread at the Pizza Hut in Minden. The restaurant has been providing dinner to JOH North for years and was happy to have us. Full and back at the school for the night, we are all preparing for our first organized 5 on 5-basketball tourney. After some long days in the saddle, everybody is looking forward to a 50-mile day tomorrow, and an off day of friendship visits in Grand Island the day after.